The Great Ancestor Hunt

Perl, Lila. The Great Ancestor Hunt: The Fun of Finding Out Who You Are. New York: Clarion Books, 1989.

Perl has written a book that could interest some children in genealogy through the story she tells. However, the story may be misleading to some readers who think that the portraits used to introduce the subject in the beginning are their actual ancestors. She also tells the story of the Irish potato famine and immigrant plight to try to interest the readers. If you are looking for a book that will teach a child how to get started in genealogy, this is NOT the book. Other than a family group sheet and an appendix describing a few other resources, there is nothing there. Ultimately, there are better books out there to arouse the child's interest while teaching them a few basics. There are also better books to tell the stories of immigration and the Irish potato famine as well. If your library's genealogy collection for children is limited and includes this one, use it. Just be aware of its shortcomings and find ways to supplement the book.  (2.5 stars)

This is part of my Friday series on children's books and genealogy.